


Secrets we hide

by Jarakrisafis



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-07
Updated: 2013-09-07
Packaged: 2017-12-25 22:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/958468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Challenge from the ProwlxJazz comm on LJ.<br/>Day 7: Secrets to keep</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secrets we hide

I find him in the tactical centre, deep under Iacon's sprawling palace complex. What was once winding passageways, storage rooms and everything else that went into keeping the visible part of the palace gleaming had been transformed into a sprawling set of war rooms that were hard enough to navigate when you knew them.

The tactical hub is in one such area, each room unmarked, even if enemies made it this far into the Autobot stronghold they'd have to search every room just to find the ones used by the senior tacticians and therefore containing the most relevant data. It was this room which I entered, taking in the stark white and black plating exactly where I expected him to be with barely a glance.

His staff nod to me, polite wordless pings echoing off my comm receiver as they vacate the room, leaving us alone. He hasn't even turned from his display, yet he knows I am here, if nothing else the sudden cessation of chatter from his underlings will have given me away.

I place a cube beside him, sensor laden panels flicker in thanks. Yet he doesn't drink. I push it closer, until it is nudging against his datapads, threatening to knock the entire stack over. Another twitch, resignation perhaps, or acceptance that he can't win, as he picks it up, draining it in one go. I only had to scatter his work across the floor once to make my point.

“I've been told you're heading into your fourth shift.” Another cube, exchanged for the empty one, it too is emptied and handed back even as the wings flick sharply in dismissal.

“You'll make mistakes.” One of his hands clenches briefly in between moving troops around on the holographic display before bringing up another sector.

“We already made the mistake. Or didn't you notice Sentinel's demise?”

I take a step closer, energy field pressing against his and no matter how close he pulls it to his frame it isn't enough to hide the strut deep weariness.

“There has to be a reason why? Or why now? Why wait for so long if they could do it with such ease?” He raises a hand to his chevron, weight shifting with a creak of gears held in place for too long as he massages the base.

“You won't find it if you can't see straight for lack of recharge. Come get some rest and look at it again with a clear processor.” I can see the indecision for a long moment, clear in the faint trembling of his sensor panels, of the twitch of his fingers towards the controls of the holomap.

In the end he caves with a hiss of hydraulics as he lets his frame slump, his muttered acceptance almost lost as he pushes himself upright again, using the table to balance until his gyros catch up with the sudden movement after so long in one place.

We are silent as we navigate the hallways, probably for the better as I can feel the effort he is putting in to remain upright, now that he's acknowledged it his exhaustion is showing through. By the time we reach our quarters he is nearly in recharge standing up and his systems cycle down as soon as he is vertical.

I reach out to pat one of the sensor panels, the soft motion making him shift to press against the pressure.

I wish I could tell him he's wasting his time. That he won't find anything. I _know_ how Sentinel was extinguished. And I know _why_.

An army needs a warrior to lead them. Not a council puppet too afraid to strike back.

Sentinel was a liability.

One of my jobs is to deal with liabilities.

I just hope the new Prime is more prepared to fight.


End file.
